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What To Do In Case Of Fire Details

2002 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 597 members

In the 1980s, Tim (Til Schweiger), his girlfriend Flo, and their roommates Terror, Hotte, Nele, and Maik--collectively known as Group 36--live as anarchist punks in an abandoned West Berlin building and film their subversive acts. The group disbands when the authorities evict the city's squatters, but not before Tim and company .. Read more

Starring Til Schweiger, Martin Feifel, Sebastian Blomberg, Klaus Lowitsch
Director Gregor Schnitzler
Genres Comedy, World Cinema

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What To Do In Case Of Fire

In the 1980s, Tim (Til Schweiger), his girlfriend Flo, and their roommates Terror, Hotte, Nele, and Maik--collectively known as Group 36--live as anarchist punks in an abandoned West Berlin building and film their subversive acts. The group disbands when the authorities evict the city's squatters, but not before Tim and company place a homemade bomb behind the door of an empty mansion. Fifteen years later, Tim and wheelchair-bound Hotte are still squatting--the only members of Group 36 who have stuck to their ideals. When the long-forgotten bomb is detonated, nearly killing two innocent people, veteran police detective Manowsky finally has an excuse to prosecute the former pranksters. Tim and Hotte are reunited with their old cohorts--who have become capitalists--as they attempt to prevent Manowsky from getting his hands on evidence that could incriminate them.
This German tale of friendship and change, the first from director Gregor Schnitzler, subverts its glossy production values with a distinctly anti-authoritarian tone. Opening with an energizing montage of the young characters clashing with police to a German punk song, WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE immediately invigorates its audience with a strong sense of time and place. The likeable cast, headed by Schweiger (a major star in his native country) as a protagonist of dubious moral character, carries this unique and enjoyable coming-of-age tale.

Starring Til Schweiger, Martin Feifel, Sebastian Blomberg, Klaus Lowitsch, Matthias Matschke, Doris Schretzmayer, Nadja Uhl
Director Gregor Schnitzler
Studio SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 37 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Comedy, World Cinema
Language DVD: German
Subtitles DVD: Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Turkish
Released DVD: 28 Apr 2003
Production year: 2002
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (3) of What To Do In Case Of Fire

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  • "...Provocative, energetic entertainment....Notably ambitious and zesty....WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE is thoughtful, even stinging at times, and lots of fun..."

    • Los Angeles Times
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Energetically acted, ramshackle drama that ignores the possibilities of its theme before becoming just another caper movie.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of What To Do In Case Of Fire

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Let It Burn!

    An enjoyable film that neatly compliments The Edukators. It's a farce that doesn't go too far down the road of farce and maintains some degree of subtlety and seriousness.

      • A customer from Manky Manc
  • Most recent members' review of What To Do In Case Of Fire

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Let It Burn!

    An enjoyable film that neatly compliments The Edukators. It's a farce that doesn't go too far down the road of farce and maintains some degree of subtlety and seriousness.

      • A customer from Manky Manc
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    • What To Do In Case Of Fire
      In the 1980s, Tim (Til Schweiger), his girlfriend Flo, and their roommates Terror, Hotte, Nele, and Maik--collectively known as Group 36--live as anarchist punks in an abandoned West Berlin building and film their subversive acts. The group disbands when the authorities evict the city's squatters, ...